Grammar · Free lesson
When can you leave out that in a relative clause?
You want to identify one ticket in a folder. Sometimes that can disappear without changing the sentence. Sometimes removing it breaks the link.
Professor Scott MendozaThe short answer
In a defining relative clause, you can leave out an object pronoun: “The ticket that I booked” becomes “The ticket I booked.” I is still the subject of booked. Keep a subject pronoun: “The ticket that arrived” needs that to be the subject of arrived.
Ask who does the action inside the relative clause.
In “the ticket that I booked,” I did the booking and the ticket received the action, so that is an object. In “the ticket that arrived,” the ticket arrived, so that is the subject. This lesson uses simple defining clauses without commas.
Check what remains after deletion
The ticket I booked is in this folder.
The ticket that I booked is in this folder.
The ticket that arrived yesterday is in this folder.
Do not add it after booked. The ticket already supplies the missing object in the relative clause.
Test the clause, not the whole sentence
Find its subject
I booked the ticket.
Keep that subject after omission
The ticket I booked is in this folder.
Try it now
Keep or omit?
Read all answers and explanations
Remove only that from “The ticket that I booked is valid.” Choose the valid result.
The ticket I booked is valid.I stays as the subject. Removing I changes the structure; adding it duplicates the object.
Which sentence keeps the necessary relative subject before arrived?
The ticket that arrived yesterday is valid.That is the subject of arrived. It cannot simply be removed or replaced by it in this structure.
Choose the accurate statement about “the book that we ordered.”
That can stay or be omitted; we stays.We is the subject and that is the object. Object omission is optional.
Put it into practice
Shorten an identifying sentence
Remove only the optional relative pronoun; keep the same meaning.
The jacket that Maya bought is blue.
See a model answer
The jacket Maya bought is blue.
The meaning is unchanged, and no extra object pronoun is needed.
A little more clarity
Common questions
A few useful details before you move on.
Is it better to remove every optional that?
No. Keeping it can make the structure easier to follow. Both versions are standard in the examples here.
The book that we ordered is here.
Does this also work with extra information between commas?
No. A non-defining relative clause keeps its relative pronoun. Do not transfer the object-omission rule to that structure.
This jacket, which Maya bought, is blue.
Take it into your day
An object relative can disappear; a subject relative must stay in these defining clauses.
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